Unacceptable: Online retailer draws reactions over Giffords comments

On Saturday morning, a gunman shot Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords while she was meeting with constituents outside a Safeway store in Tucson, Arizona, and then apparently kept on shooting, leaving six people (including a nine-year-old girl) dead and Rep. Giffords in critical condition.

It is absolutely, absolutely unacceptable to shoot “indiscriminately”.

Target only politicians and their staff, and leave regular citizens alone.

The post drew swift reaction after Rich Johnston picked it up at Bleeding Cool, along with the first round of outrage on Twitter. While some of Corcoran’s longtime readers gave him high fives in the comments of his blog posts, the rest of the world wasn’t so sanguine, and Morning Glories creator Nick Spencer specificallyasked that Heavy Ink stop carrying his work, saying, “I respect your right to an opinion, but am not personally comfortable doing business with someone who advocates violence against people they disagree with.” Gail Simone Tweeted, “@tjic, you have my pity. May you grow a soul someday, because you desperately are in need of one.”

Corcoran, who describes himself as an “anarcho-capitalist,” confirmed in this thread on the HeavyInk forums that he is indeed the author of the post. He then followed up with a fuller explanation of his politics, including his distaste for laws and government, and why he thinks the U.S. government has overstepped the bounds of the Constitution. While he disavowed armed revolution, he defended his blog post, saying,

I don’t retract my callousness. I dislike Representatives and Senators, and I think that each and every one of them is doing grave harm to the United States, and to the freedoms of the citizens of the US.

As long as they continue to be callous by the laws they pass (and to do massive harm to real people – senior citizens, mothers, fathers, children), I reserve the right to use harsh language towards them.

Corcoran’s anarchy/libertarianism isn’t that extreme (he believes in limited government), but he has a reflexive dislike of authority. While he disavows violence, he also feels free to say (whether he believes it or not) that elected representatives are doing harm, and therefore it’s OK to kill them. This is remarkably indiscriminate on Corcoran’s part; one wonders how much he knew about Gifford before he applauded her shooting. Here’s one of the comments to the post:

SHE chose to seek out and use the coercive power (force) of the state to compel others to live to a standard they did not seek for themselves.

You know who to avoid being shot by a crazy for being a congressman?

Don’t take the job!

This type of discourse isn’t particularly constructive, and it’s why I don’t bother much with political blogs any more. (The same commenter refers to Giffords repeatedly as a “Commie.” You just can’t argue with people like that.) Corcoran obviously has a small group of followers who have set up an echo chamber for themselves, and they float around what they obviously think are some pretty heady theories. Until Saturday, no one was paying much attention, and by the end of the week, everyone will have moved on. Despite Spencer’s request (which Corcoran is not legally bound to comply with), in six months most people will be left with a vague memory that there was something unsavory about… some guy who was an online retailer.

Most people have enough tact and human understanding not to joke about these things, but Corcoran seems to be missing those traits. It’s a free country, and he is welcome to blog about them from a distance, even if what he says shocks our sensibilities.

But if that’s his game, someone has already beaten him at it: The Westboro Baptist Church has announced that it will picket the funeral of the little girl who was killed. They have outdone him at his own tactic, elevating a rhetorical point above human decency.

The big news out of this for me is the Westboro Baptist Church picketing the funeral of the little girl who died. Utterly contemptible. I already thought there were few people on this planet more disgusting than the Westboro Baptist Church – and I say that as a Christian, not recognising that hate group as having anything to do with my faith – but this confirms what I already knew, that these guys have no genuine moral agenda, and seek only to shock and hurt people as much as possible to get attention and noteriety for themselves. And, of course, to provoke people into slandering or attacking them so they can respond by suing them and making money – this is, after all, a family of lawyers.

Gail Simone

In fact, I checked his blog extensively to make sure that this wasn’t some sort of freakishly hideous lapse in judgment. I wanted to be fair before speaking out.

I found several references to violence against politicians with only a quick perusal. It’s more than one incident.

Yes, he has every right to say whatever repulsive and disgusting things he wants to say, and yes, he is also free to pretend that he does so for humanitarian, and not misanthropic, reasons.

But we’re talking about real people with their blood and brains on the ground, not some parlor room play-state who-can-be-the-biggest-douche gamesmanship.

It always makes me a little queasy to think of people with hearts so dead in this industry, an industry that still talks about heroism and sacrifice. How someone grows up reading Superman and goes this far wrong, I have no idea.

“in six months most people will be left with a vague memory that there was something unsavory about… some guy who was an online retailer.”

That may sadly be true.

But I have a longer memory than that, and I am certain many others do, as well. He has every right to say what he wants. But I think he would agree people have the right not to support those words or the man who said them.

Joe H

I don’t have any comic shops near me within an hours drive and certainly not any with as good of deals or customer service as Heavy Ink. And HI was the best out of all of the online retail outlets I’ve tried. So, as much as I don’t like what he said, comics and saving money win out.

David Williams

Limited government is different from no government. We are a nation of laws. Every two years we the people have to right to change our elected leaders through the electoral process. Murder is not the way that we change things in this nation of ours.

Let me also say that as a Christian I find the Westboro Baptist people to be the complete antithesis of what Christ taught. If any of you are out there in Arizona I encourage you to help blockade those people. Keep them away from the grieving families. They tried that mess in a small town near where I live. After one good look at the good old boys turning out to block them they decided that they should take their party somewhere else.

Humbug

What never ceases to amaze me are the voices on the right who speak in esoteric talking points. They want freedom of speech, they want limited government and yet the want to restrict rights of others. What greater freedom is there than freedom to live? If Heavy Ink were criticized tomorrow for being a place that smelled bad or had really nasty customer service–whether true or false–are we willing to believe that the owner wouldn’t sue to stop someone from having freedom of speech if it were ruining his business? The bottom line is that we need to have true discourse in this country–our problems, heck–the world’s problem’s are too complex for just one theory–but isn’t it time that the side of anger in this country, the side that tends to be the LEAST informed of the truth ($200M dollar trip to India?? Indeed Fox news viewers—indeed a lie that is)–the side who claims to want to return America to something most of them don’t know or remember–isn’t it time they denounce violence, pick up an actual legitimate non-partisan book and participate with the rest of us on creating an America that is ready for the 21st century and beyond? I can assure you we need all hands on deck–but if you are formenting anger and destruction–couldn’t you atleast move to China or India or a country that is kicking out butts in innovation and exports? Give them that anger that you’re using to keep this great country from moving forward.

Cam

The westboro babtist is not a “church”, it is a hate group. They are in it for the money and the press. Most of the members of this “church” are attorneys. If any other group showed up at your door, would they get away with this? No! Why do they? Any one can say they are a “church”, that is not going to make you a Church! We in this country let a lot pass for “church”. This is not about freedom, it is about being human. They are a danger to freedom of all.

“Note: Libertarianism and small government is not ANARCHY –> no government.”

In Brigid’s defense, it sounds like Corcoran is an attention-seeking toolbox who doesn’t even know what he really believes in. Anarcho-capitalist? Isn’t that an oxymoron? Isn’t that like calling myself a carni-vegetarian?

Michael Champion

Folks, we need to stop making this about right or left. For every example of hate speech pointed out on one side, there’s the same amount on the other (or has everyone forgotten all the calls for Bush and Cheney to be killed?). Don’t let incidents like this divide Americans by constantly pointing out the faults in the fringe elements on the other side of the political fence. Quit letting idiots like this divide us based on political party affiliation.

Does HI have the right to make these comments? Freedom of Speech protects political speech, and comics fans and professionals, especially, should be full supporters of free speech. Is HI’s comments insensitive, moronic, insensitive, etc.? Absolutely. And we all have the right not to frequent their place of business, and by all means, to let everyone know what they said so they reap the benefits of their speech. THAT’S how you stop nonsense like this, not by generalizing the other side of the aisle.

As a conservative, right leaning American, I can tell you that HI’s sentiments don’t match up with mine, or any others I know who has the same political leanings.

I would ask that everyone think long and hard before doing business with someone so lacking in common decency. I would BEG you not to buy any of my books from his site. One of the lessons to be gleaned from this tragedy is that words have consequences. Travis Corcoran obviouosly needs to learn that lesson more than most. Thanks.

Michael P

Joe H

I think if I were the Westboro Baptist Church, I’d sit this one out. I mean, obviously they have no shame, but one of these days they’re going to get someone a little *too* angry at them, and I have a hunch that this could be the time. I don’t want anyone to get hurt, and even setting that aside, attacking them is just playing into their hands, but tempers are running high these days. Isn’t there another comic convention they could demonstrate at?

Joe H: Keep buying your comics from HI but just hope that some day he doesn’t decide that what you do (or what one of your family members does) is unconstitutional and that you should be shot on sight.

Gene Mayes

In defense of anarcho-capitalists (never thought I’d say that), there are plenty who disavow all political violence:http://www.voluntaryist.com/
while still viewing the State (correctly, in my view) as coercive. I’m not a capitalist, but I am an anarchist, and I too disavow political violence. Most anarchists believe that means ought to be consistent with ends, and I think blowing away people does nothing to make a more peaceful, non-coercive world, which is our end.

WR

Will B

Now I know who Heavy Ink are. So do all of you. His comments have got people talking about him and his company. It’s what a little man like that wants.

He’s got the press, and here we are. Saying we won’t buy from him. But saying and doing are two very different things. Hell, look up there. There’s a guy who knows how awful this man is, but will STILL buy from him to get his comics cheaper than at a shop where the owner isn’t a ridiculous fool.

We don’t need to go on about how awful this man is, the terrible thing he’s said. We don’t. People have said it. What we need to do is make sure all sensible human beings don’t give any of their money to him. To make sure his business takes the hit it deserves. After all, he’s an anarcho-capitalist. Denying a capitalist your money is the way to go.

Flex

Yeah, I just want to chime in as an anarchist that Corcoran’s views aren’t representative of the “anti-government” mindset in any meaningful way. Most folks who are attracted to some flavor of anarchism are attracted at least in part precisely because they abhor political violence (think Leo Tolstoy, for example). Change isn’t going to come from bloody revolution (as Corcoran seems to favor, just “not in 2011″) but from changing people’s minds to the point where the state is unnecessary. Eliminate the jobs, not the people.

Manglr

I’m one of those who have discontinued my patronage of Heavy Ink over this. It boggles the mind that any small business owner would go about waving extreme political beliefs like this in the public square and NOT think that it may impact their business. I could care a less what Travis’ political beliefs are (and having seen some of them I think they are pretty infantile at best) but I certainly don’t want to support someone financially who is so callous about human life.

So off to try DCBS.

jab

some guy nobody would have heard of is going to be really well known because its a slow news day. if you really want to spare people’s feelings dont bring this story up at all, let it sink to the bottom of the internet.

Joe H

Humbug

Please stop with the false equivalency. A woman is near death and others are dead and no amount of right wing nonsense is going to change that these people have been attacked and associated with violent rhetoric from ESTABLISHED figures on the right. Enough is enough.

The left hasn’t done anything demonstrably violent since the 60’s sir and that’s a pretty long time ago. Bush and Cheney never had an attack on their lives–no Republican that I’m aware of has had to deal with some hippie death threat from the left (surely Fox news would cover it if it existed). Besides the only thing you can even remotely find any legitimate study of is the very strong, very vocal and I would argue very correct view that Bush/ Cheney are war-criminals–but what does that have to do with their deaths?

On the right, we have seen countless individuals show up at Political rallies with guns on their hips (or concealed but toting signs that advocate this silliness), national leaders in the Republican party calling for a coming to arms against the government—demonization of our President that would lead the less informed (nearly 30% of republicans believe this!) that he is not of US birth and is Muslim, an activist against Rand Paul had her head stomped by a supporter, a doctor was assassinated after countless calls of his being a death peddler by national leaders like O’Reilly and those are just a few!

The Left gets attacked for what? New Black Panther party? Acorn? The Farm Administator in GA who was speaking on behalf of white farmers–but her video was heavily edited? Proven BS news stories from Fox and you guys still can’t find the violent rhetoric you claim to exist?

Let’s face facts–your side has legitimate views but you cow to the bigoted, ignorant and selfish and when you get called on it–you resort to finding some middle ground like we’re all guilty.

I’m reminded of the story recently from a famous comedien—there are no two equal sides when you you’re the black kid during civil rights being preyed upon by cops and citizens who want to deny your equal rights. There is no other side that needs to be given equal merit when you are shouting violence and death because people disagree with you.

Grow up.

themightylayman

Sean T. Collins

You know how I was complaining in the Jason Aaron/Alan Moore thread about the mentality of a large segment of comics fandom, whereby no moral or ethical concern matters more than totally unimpeded, unquestioned access to the exact kinds of comics they want exactly when they want them? If I sat around and tried, I couldn’t think up a better, more revolting example than a person who lets saving a few cents on the dollar outweigh the celebration of an innocent woman’s murder and the call for further killings.

(Also: What Humbug said.)

Michael Champion

Uh, are you missing the FACT that people who knew this kid that did the shooting are saying he was a God hating, pot smoking, LEFTIST who listed his favorite books as the Communist Manifesto and Mein Kampf??? Do I think that’s relevant in ANY way to his motives? NO. Yet it would be very easy to ask ‘What is it about his leftist leanings that lead him to shoot a conservative leaning Democrat?’ And we SHOULDN’T ask that. The left isn’t responsible for his actions any more than the right is. There’s no evidence, no facts, supporting the OPINION that the actions of anybody on the right is responsible for this kid’s motives, just like there’s no evidence pointing to the left.

You need to step back and look at the hate that you’re injecting into this, the divisiveness you’re coming into this with, when all I did was say we need to quit pointing fingers at groups on the other side and hold the person who actually did the deed responsible. That we need to stop letting other divide us. Yet that’s what you seem intent on doing. Maybe I’m wrong. Hope I am.

BTW, feel free to respond, but I’m done. I’m not here to engage in a flame war. I have work to do. I wish you and your family well, and hope you can get past the hate here.

BTW, you really should avoid telling someone to grow up when you know nothing about that person. Just saying.

These are just a few off the top of my head who I’ve used and who had good service, a good discount or a combination of the two. There are also places like Things From Another World and Mycomicshop.com that I haven’t used, but are associated with brick and mortar shops I’ve used in the past.

And I bet there are a lot more I’m not listing and maybe don’t even know about, so feel free to give them a shout out here in our comments section.

I did freelance marketing and PR work for HeavyInk for about a year and a half, in exchange for store credit. I knew my politics differed from Travis’ but I had no idea he was capable of such cold and callous behavior.

For me the politics aren’t even that important. It’s an inhumane thing to say and to fail to understand it from any point of view other than his own, narrow, sad one is pathetic.

I want nothing to do with them.

Along the lines of what JK said above, I haven’t used them for subs but mycomicshop.com has great customer service and trade-in deals. I send off old trades/back issues all the time for new, shiny material. Your money would be better served there.

or just burning it in the street. It might be better served that way too, honestly.

Sean T. Collins

The level of ahistoricity required to cite Mein Kampf as a leftist tract is really astonishing to me, and yet it’s now taken as an article of faith by millions of Americans that Nazism was a movement of the left. God Bless America.

Sure, Heavy Ink has freedom of speech–but if you want to toss verbal grenades, be prepared for them to explode. Having the freedom to say sub-human or irresponsible things doesn’t mean that, once the words are out there, they have no repercussions. He wants to be a power capitalist, fine. In a capitalist society, we can all decide where to not spend our money. There’s a freedom we all have–and hopefully the repercussion of that choice is this asshole going out of business.

Michael Champion

I actually agree with you; trying to assign Nazism to ANY side of the political spectrum in America is a disservice to history. I was merely stating what those who know him have said; I doubt you’re going to find anybody on the right who has Mein Kampf publicly listed as one of their favorite books (this kid did on some online profile).

themightylayman

Oh, it just gets better. The Bleeding Cool messageboards led me to this one:

TJIC: “I don’t think that anything productive is going to come of killing either the senator or the judge, but, yes, I think that it is morally legitimate to kill pro-regulation senators and pro-regulation judges, if it can be done without harming innocents.”

I hate resorting to profanity, but seriously, fuck this guy. His views are positively abhorrent and anti-American, and I, for one, am DAMN glad I have never spent a penny in his store, nor ever will.

“The level of ahistoricity required to cite Mein Kampf as a leftist tract is really astonishing to me, and yet it’s now taken as an article of faith by millions of Americans that Nazism was a movement of the left.”

Really? That’s just… incredible. How can that be? I can’t even BEGIN to make any conections, besides the fact that they were called, you know, National Sozialisten… but a movement of the LEFT?

I’m obviously not north-american, but I’m fascinated by your culture and your view of the world (all of the different views, of course). This thing here left me speechless.

Thanks to Gail Simone for a harken to compassion and for less attention grabbing sensationalism. The unfortunate truth is this sort of behaviour is not exclusive to the Comics / Entertainment industry. We could blame left, right, center and hide behind freedom and choice but I wonder what reaction Travis would have if he was right there in that crowd in Tucson. Would he hear the Heroes call or applaud the violence. It’s easy to rant irresponsible, callous, villainous remarks from behind a screen at a distance. Grow a soul indeed sir but make sure it isn’t a self serving soul of a coward we need more Heroes.

David Williams

Let’s not degenerate into the same kind of silly wrangling that has pervaded our society. One can argue all day long as to whether Nazi were right or left. Not really how you would decide. They believed in strong national regulation of the economy, socialized medicine, they extolled the virtues of the working man against the rich. Taking out the disgusting racial theories and the rabid nationalism they really have a lot more in common with socialists than many want to admit. For a good reason. Who wants to have ANYTHING in common with such monsters. I am sure though that given a chance we could all find a few things in common with them That is because no political system is created in a vacuum. Let’s just get past the vitriolic language ON BOTH SIDES.

To Humbug how many attacks have there actually been? One. Count them. One. This by a person who was completely nuts. There is nothing to indicate that he was attached to a political party. In fact everything shows that he hated all government.

Let’s get back on topic. To argue for the extermination of elected officials is wrong and reprehensible. Did he have the right to say what he did? Yes. That doesn’t mean that there is no responsibility for his words. The scum from Westboro have the right to demonstrate. That doesn’t make their actions any less disgusting. I for one will never do business with such a person. Would you buy from the man if he had said it was okay to kill Hispanics or gays?

Humbug

I too have work–hence why my response is late. This isn’t a flame war by the way, we are having a debate. You took issue with something and stated your opinion and I mine. This is how it should be. I haven’t advocated anything to you other than to ‘grow up’ as in –accept responsibility for your leadership of your political party and stop looking for scapegoats. No amount of trying to attribute this to the left is going to change all of the points I made about the violent rhetoric from the right. Least we forget the congresswoman was on a target list from Sarah Palin AND her CONSERVATIVE, TEA-PARTY political opponent had a fundraiser against her that included firing an M16 rifle with him. I’m astonished that no part of you–can look at that and say–that is unacceptable. Period.

You have some balls to make two telling comments–that the right has nothing to do with this? Why of all the MODERATE leaning Republicans in Az did this supposedly Leftist liberal target this woman. When leftist blogs can you even find (or any right wing talking point) or conjur to suggest the Left had death rhetoric views towards this woman?

That’s a pathetic way to handle this issue–to claim that specific examples showing republicans using violent rhetoric are somehow “not fair” and that your lack of evidence is somehow “injecting hate”. Sir–if you watch Glenn Beck, support Sarah Palin then you don’t need me to teach you about hate.

Secondly, you are claiming to be “above this” and yet you comment moments later about Mein Kampf being leftist?? Every journalist, scholar in the world–would claim Nazism, fascism and 40’s era Germany are RIGHT leaning forms of democracy. Demagoguing a particular ethnicity, working with business interests and having a very pro-military, strong national pride in the face of statistical evidence that would show that those elements are not exactly true–(as in today where Republicans gleefully believe in American Exceptionalism DESPITE facts that show we are declining in health care, education, innovation and science–but why let facts stand in the way of just talking point beliefs).

Listen Michael–I am a liberal. Proud Liberal. Proud American. I am a Capitalist. I have friends who are Republicans. But, the bottom line is that while you personally didn’t cause this to the Congresswoman–have some balls, grow up and admit that your side have been particularly distasteful the last few years in your efforts to win elections.

I’ll say this again. I don’t have a problem with Republican views. I’m actually more conservative than most conservatives I know.

That said, I have an issue with not owning up to your side’s actions. You may have heard how Liberals were upset with Obama on not having single payer and on continuing the war. I have no problem criticizing my leaders.

I have an issue with hypocrisy (how do Republicans want free speech but want to deny gays to serve in military, get married and so/on). I have an issue when credible sources time and time again show Republicans engaging in nasty dialogue and then we get a tragedy like this and no one is saying–yes, Rush, Sarah, Michael Savage, Peter King–have all gotten a bit out of hand with the rhetoric. You should be able to do this without resorting too–“well, they said we all suck–and that’s not fair!!!” A child is dead. A woman’s life hangs in the balance–and the rhetoric on the right has gotten out of hand. Accept it and help us move forward.

Humbug

The doctors who have died from anti-abortion right wing terrorists would not argue that this is only one incident.

The grieving members of military families who have had their funerals disrupted by right wing ‘christian’ members don’t view this as a one-off.

The woman who was protesting Rand Paul and had her head stomped by a supporter (as well as being physically confronted by several supporters) would not argue that this is just a one-off.

The vile threats and heated townhalls of democratic officials of a few summers ago by ‘Tea Party’ wouldn’t suggest that this climate is just a one-off.

The seriously ill man who was in need of medical support at a townhall healthcare debate and was mocked and ridiculed by republicans would not argue that this is a one-off.

The guns being brought to Democratic rallies by republican or tea party members isn’t a one-off.

When Mosques were attacked throughout the country when Republicans chose to argue that the Ground Zero Mosque (which it actually isn’t) –Muslims who seek to pray openly like all Americans–wouldn’t claim that this was a one-off.

You may see a one-off here David—but I see that statement as callous and insincere. Michael Champion (like many Republicans) has gone so far as to claim it is on both sides–but you cannot name similar examples except for name-calling–but the violent rhetoric directed as Congresswoman Giffords has been consistent.

I’m not advocating the Republican party to go away. We NEED multi-party form of government. But, it is time for one side — the republicans– to grow up, become educated and stop the hatred. If you are against the government then what exactly are you for in the UNITED states of America?

ussescort

You know, there are days that I actually wake up in the morning and thank God that I woke up and spit out the kool-aid. If any of you understood political science, you would know that both China and the USSR were accurate. They are/were ‘Socialist Republics’. They were Socialist governments that have a legislative body consisting of representatives of the various defined political areas of the Country, ‘states’, so to speak. Thus, a Republic, in the defined form Furthermore, Fascism is an perverted extension of Socialism. Fascism is the Government control of the economy. There is private ownership of business, but Government control of the keys of production (wages, product lines, resource allocation, profits, etc.). Thus, the ‘rights’ of society overrule the rights of the individual. “Right wing” government goes from Federal Republic, to Libertarian down the path to complete anarchy. The rights of the individual overruling the ‘rights’ of society. I really do love how colleges have slowly worked towards teaching Political Philosophy and calling it Political Science, especially one sided philosophy.

ussescort

Humbug, what the hell is wrong with you? Seriously. What Mosque’s were attacked? What seriously ill man was mocked at a debate? What democratic officials were being threatened ‘a few summers ago’? You are exactly the problem that you deride others of supporting. You take isolated incidents, if they even happened, and you beat them like some sort of chant drum. Hell, the incident could have happened years ago, but like clockwork, if something happens that it can be used, out it comes. In fact, it does not even have to be real. I find it so hilarious that folks like you are so threatened by the possibility of legitimate and honest debate, that you use preemptive attacks, no matter how ludicrous, to distract from the real issues.

hilker

What’s wrong with Humbug is he’s more aware of current events than you, ussescort.

You want specific examples of mosques being attacked?

• A pipe bomb detonated in May at a mosque in Jacksonville, Fla., while about 60 people were inside. A small fire erupted in the rear of the building, but nobody was hurt. A month earlier, a man had entered the same mosque, shouting anti-Muslim epithets.

• A fire in July destroyed playground equipment at an Islamic center in Arlington, Texas. Vandals have also cut copper tubing and spray-painted pornographic graffiti at the mosque.

• A brick was thrown at the Madera Islamic Center in California in August, where signs left behind read, “Wake up America, the enemy is here,” and “No temple for the god of terrorism.”

• The same month, in Murfreesboro, Tenn., an arsonist damaged construction equipment at the site of a planned mosque that had drawn protests.

• Also in August, five teenagers were arrested for shouting obscenities during Ramadan services outside a mosque in Carlton, N.Y. One of the worshippers was clipped by a sports utility vehicle during a confrontation with the teens and injured slightly. One of the teens also was charged with firing a shotgun outside the mosque three days earlier.

• An arsonist in September torched the trunk of a car parked outside an Islamic community center in Lafayette, La., that belonged to a member of the center.

• Also in September, a man in Fairview Heights, Ill., who had threatened the Muslim community and President Obama engaged in a seven-hour standoff with authorities who came to his home to discuss the threats. Roman Conaway Jr., who had earlier said on Facebook that he planned to burn a Koran, was wearing what he said was a suicide bomb belt and also had two 55-gallon drums he said were filled with explosives. No explosives were found after he surrendered.

Chris Jones

Humbug

Thank you Hilker–I’m at work and didn’t see the need to put links to my points since these are well-discussed video proven evidence of the hatred that the right wing contributes to. They cannot do the same for the left–but you see the response—he seemed outright enraged that I would offer these examples without once checking to see if any of these are even real. Not only that but claiming I’m —using pre-emptive attacks?? Does he not see how this thread of comments or article even begins?

I still believe our nation will wake up but it’s the sheer anger and excitement that people like him exude without having any grasp of the facts that makes civil debate so outdated and outright dangerous in this country.

Ninjazilla

Hubert

Sadly all the people who want to insist on this not being a “left/right” issue seem to ignore the fact that this type of violence is almost always inflicted against the left (what little remains of it in the U.S.). I can easily rattle off dozens of left wingers, Democrats, abortion providers, freedom riders, etc. who’ve been killed over the lats century. but I can’t name hardly any conservatives killed for political reasons. It’s kind of creepy to see a media normally hell-bent on rushing to judgment finally try to be calm and measured. The sad fact is that even if Loughridge turns out to be a psychotic with little interest in left/right debates, he still went after a Democrat who’d been targeted by Palin (“Don’t retreat, reload”), after Gifford’s opponent held a fundraiser involving the shooting of automatic weapons, right after an election where a Republican candidate from a neighboring state suggested “Second Amendment remedies” to election/political losses. Listen to Glenn Beck for five minutes and you will hear at least ONE threat of/argument for armed revolution in the U.S. if everything doesn’t go the way he and people like Palin wants. Heck, even Palin’s emailed defense of the crosshairs graphic to Beck over the weekend basically threatened the peace if politicians tried to use the event for gun control legislation! There is only so much gasoline you can pour on a fire and still act like you’re not guilty when it explodes…

How lame would the industry be without Gail Simone willing (almost exclusively it seems at times) to call it like it is?

Wesley

Micahel Champion is right – this isn’t a party thing. Any kind of metaphor, symbol, illustration, example, or comparison made by anyone can be perverted into something vile and nonrepresentational. Any sentiment can be skewed to go beyond the intentions of party lines and affiliations, an be made to justify a corrupt and hateful agenda.

This isn’t about politics, it’s about a comic shop owner condoning the murder of innocents. Not just killing (as in wartime collateral damge), but straight up murder.

Carlos Futino

@Paul Allen
“Anarcho-capitalist? Isn’t that an oxymoron? Isn’t that like calling myself a carni-vegetarian?”

While the term does sound a bit odd (and doesn’t really describe Corocoran’s politics) there actually is an anarcho-capitalist school of thought.
Anarcho-capitalists defend a society withou a state and based on free-market capitalism and defend indiidual sovereignty.
It does sound like a really good society, too bad it wouldn’t work.

smith

The only thing that will hurt this waste of sperm is to hit him in the wallet. Don’t patronize Heavy Ink; find out if they have relationships with companies or companies that advertise on their website. Write/e-mail/text/twitter those companies ask them why they would want to associate with someone who advocates violent assassination.

For just a little bit can’t we cancel the left-right nonsense? Personally, I don’t care if it’s John Boehner or Nancy Pelosi, I would be sick and disgusted if either one of them was gunned down even if I disagreed with their politics.

smith

I guarantee you the shitstain is doing this simply for publicity. Yeah he has every right to say whatever he wants blah blah blah, but I don’t want to hear him bitch and moan when (hopefully) people stop patronizing Heavy Ink and he loses money.

Speaking as a Colombian American I’m agreeing with Nataniel on this one. There has been vast changes in the country over the last decade. While it’s not in anyway perfect its far from anarcho-capitalist. Please remember your on the internet, where people from various backgrounds might notice strange statements like that.

The big issue I see between the idea that both sides have extremism is that the extreme in the left has been marginalized and put to it’s little corner by both the right and liberals while the right has been exempt. This has to change.

D Strutz

Trying to put a political spin on this is pure b***shit.
Saying this nut did this from some political rant is like saying Chapman killed Lennon because of the Rolling Stones.
The sad fact that liberals will never except is that some people are wired wrong and can not be fixed.

Marc C

D Powers

I don’t appreciate the fact that this blog declares that Corcoran is a Libertarian. An Anarchist or Capitalist, maybe so. It really gives Libertarians a bad rap to be associated with this scum bag. There is a huge difference between Anarchism and Libertarianism. Abolishing the government is most definitely not a Libertarian point of view. Also a Liberal is not a Libertarian.

And also, Corcoran may have the right of free speech but, that was a despicable comment he made. That type of thinking is what scares me about the future. Is there no compassion left in the world? Are Political views worth killing innocent people for? I hope Heavy Ink looses all their business for this d-bag’s extremist and soulless comments.

Jamie

“But, it is time for one side — the republicans– to grow up, become educated and stop the hatred. ”

No, it is time for EVERYONE to grow up, become educated, and stop the hatred. To imply that the left is innocent and doesn’t engage in vitriolic partisan rhetoric is laughable and naive.

By the way, the Westboro Baptist “Church” is protesting that little girl’s funeral because she and her family are devout Catholics. The Westboro Baptist Church is notoriously anti-Catholic, and ultimately anti-Christian.

TonyJazz

I am also offended by the ridiculous associations being attributed to the left and Nazis. Fascism is not in any way related to leftist movements (which have never been dictatorship-supportive).

On the other hand, even though I am a proud progressive, I wouldn’t associated that crap (Mein Kampf) with the right either. Thankfully most conservatives has some sense of soul and concern for others….

(Kinda fun to see the strong political discussions here, though)

spidarwin

what the hell is Heavy Ink? is that some Very Metal tattoo parlor of which I’m unaware?
How does this relate to comics? And if it does relate to comics, will it continue? That guy’s a walking pile of excrement, stacked severely too high. I want my comics to have nothing to do with his politics or his randomly stupid idea of capitalism.

Thank you.

Carlos Futino

@ D. Powers
“I don’t appreciate the fact that this blog declares that Corcoran is a Libertarian.”

Actually, that’s how Corcoran declares himself. in a follow up post (seen here: http://tjic.com/?p=19655) he explains his politics saying they are “generally in the libertarian direction”.
He may not be the best example of how a libertarian behaves, but he is a libertarian.

Captainamerica4

May Rep. Giffords make a full recovery as well as the others injured. For the families that lost loved ones in the senseless shootings my prayers to you.

I believe in a free market, therefore, I will choose not to use Corcoran. It is great to see artists request their books be pulled from his store and patrons decide to stand by morals rather than their hobby.

While Corcoran might say he is libertarian leaning this does not make him a libertarian or those that are libertarian, like myself, accept him. Every group has individuals on the fringe or individuals that want to be part of the group but does not quite fit. Seems like Corcoran has violence issues he needs to work out and as Gail Simone said, “grow a soul”.

If you are interested in what libertarians really stand for check out The Cato Institute http://www.cato.org/

For all of those saying this is either a “left” or “right” issue in my opinion these are just props for individuals with personal issues. Corcoran uses politics to dispense his hate, just as others do. This poisons the well of free discussion and debate.

It basically talks about how the `left/right definition is very limited and doesn’t really work in today’s complex political environment.

Also, anyone else struck by the irony of a guy who runs a internet based mail-order business being anti-taxation. I mean the internet wouldn’t have been developed (at least not as quickly) without massive public funding, not to mention roads and the us postal service… I wonder if whatever building he operates out of is up to code?